Car Review: 2012 Toyota Prius v

Originally published: February 23, 2012

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What was once a single model that defined Toyota’s commitment to environmental performance and superior fuel economy has become a line of cars — an obvious sign of success. My guess, then, is that the ultimate sign of success for Toyota will be to have Prius become a verb, much like Google has. “We priused our way to Florida, averaging five litres per 100 kilometres.” OK, that’s reaching.

The second entrant in the Prius hybrid lineup, the Prius v, is an extension of the (third-generation) original, with essentially the same powertrain but in a more wagon-like hatchback body style designed to meet — if things go according to Toyota’s marketing plans — the needs of growing families. (The Prius c — for city — an “urban-friendly” hatchback, will be available next month; the Prius Plug-in Hybrid in 2012.)

From a purely esthetic standpoint, the v is by far a more attractive hybrid than the four-door liftback model, said third-generation model launched for the 2010 model year. (To be fair, the liftback is much more mainstream than its two predecessors, which seemed to revel in an overt, funky green smugness.) The v, though, blends in (or stands out, depending on your interpretation) with the likes of the Mazda5 and Kia Forte5 as a more versatile — hence the v suffix — family car with minivan/crossover overtones and an emphasis on cargo space.

In a normal review, I would start with the powertrain and then move to performance and handling dynamics. But, this is a Prius, people — it’s not an especially fun car to drive for motor heads. It’s sort of slow — especially when accelerating from a standstill — changing to glacial when in Eco mode and on an incline. Push the console-mounted Power mode button and acceleration improves noticeably, as does the ruckus from the 1.8-litre gasoline engine when big-time passing power is called for. Anybody who expects anything but is dreaming in technicolour. But people dig this car because its hybrid technology is still cool and it boasts miserly fuel consumption. Plus, it gets a big thumbs up from both Hollywood and the environmentalists.

If you are serious about keeping your hard-earned dollars out of the hands of the oil companies, you can’t go wrong, especially with the new body style. My week with the tester generated a parsimonious 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres, without me going to any great lengths to be eco-friendly.

What makes the v a better Prius than the standard model is its genuinely roomy cabin, with excellent sightlines out the front and side windows. Even with the front seats back in their tracks, there’s (just) enough room in the rear for leggy six-footers, with plenty of headroom to boot. Popping the rear hatch reveals a wide, deep cargo area with 34.3 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, which Toyota claims makes the v the most spacious dedicated hybrid vehicle on the market. Dropping those sliding, second-row, 60/40-split perches all but doubles the hatch’s capacity. Plus, the front-passenger seat folds flat for longer items.

Like the Prius, the v’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system uses two high-output motors, one 60-kilowatt (80-horsepower) unit that mainly works to power the transaxle and another smaller motor that primarily works as the electric power source. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack is the same as on the Prius liftback but with a cooling duct located under the rear seat. Hybrid Synergy Drive is a series-parallel hybrid system that can provide power from the gas engine alone, the motor alone or a mix of both. It uses a start/stop system and regenerative braking to conserve fuel and recharge the battery under deceleration. The drive system is built around the 98-hp 1.8L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and, working together, contri-butes to a total of 134 hp.

In addition to the standard driving mode and Eco and Power modes, there is also the EV mode, which allows the Prius v to run on battery power alone for very short distances (1.6 kilometres maximum) and lower speeds. In Eco, the engine management system emphasizes fuel economy, manages throttle response and limits power consumption from the air conditioning.

One of the more interesting aspects of the v’s suspension setup is Pitch and Bounce Control, which works with the beefed-up suspension bits to improve ride comfort and control, Toyota figuring that the larger v is more likely to carry loads and passengers and thus needs the upgrades. According to the automaker, Pitch and Bounce Control uses the torque of the hybrid motor to enhance ride comfort and control. The system, working with wheel-speed sensors and in tune with the suspension, helps suppress bounce and toss motions to improve passenger comfort. Because it helps control the balance and posture of the vehicle as a whole, it also functions to improve handling response.

While it sounds like an overly complicated way to deal with a relatively minor problem, it does seem to work — the v’s ride is better than most similarly sized hybrids I’ve driven and it corners well, maintaining a reasonably flat attitude on on-ramps and the like.

For anyone with a familiarity with the Prius liftback, the v’s cabin will prove as welcoming as an old friend. There’s the centre-mounted instrument panel, the driving controls including push-button start, parking switch, drive-by-wire shift toggle and driving mode buttons.

Integrated into the cabin are the obligatory high-tech electronics and enhanced connectivity features, including standard Bluetooth and a USB port to play music and videos from portable audio devices, using the audio system and 6.1-inch in-dash display screen. The screen also displays the energy monitor and fuel consumption data and doubles as the monitor for the backup camera.

The Prius v retails for $27,200, a reasonable price for a hybrid of its size and intent and with the number of standard features it carries. The tester, however, was loaded to the max with a $9,675 Touring + Technology package (a combination of three separate available packages), weighing it down with a far heftier $36,875 sticker. A panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, premium audio system, Intelligent Parking Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, voice-activated DVD navigation system, synthetic leather seats and a ton of stuff more are all included. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt this was overkill, trying to turn the v into some sort of luxury hybrid, which it’s not.

That aside, the hatchback proved to be a pleasant driving experience. While still maintaining a portion of the Prius iconoclasm that isn’t present in more mainstream-oriented hybrid sedans (Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, for example), the v’s design and space utility make it an easy fit into the hybrid segment. It’s a welcome addition, one that will help evolve the Prius line.